De Minaur arrived in Melbourne in the early hours of Sunday morning to ramp up his preparations for the first grand slam of the year, fresh from his maiden title success at the Sydney International.

In defeating Italian Andreas Seppi 7-5 7-6 (7-5) in Saturday night’s final, de Minaur joined Hewitt in becoming a teenage winner of the event that has the best of Australia’s talent on its honour board.

De Minaur is embracing the comparisons to Hewitt. Pic: Getty

Hewitt won his first of four titles in Sydney as an 18-year-old in 2000, before winning his maiden grand slam event a year later and becoming Australia’s only men’s major winner of the 21st century so far.

And he was one of the first to congratulate the world No.29 after his success on Saturday night.

“That’s definitely special,” de Minaur said as he reflected on being the youngest winner in Sydney since Hewitt.

“Every time I walk down to Ken Rosewall Arena and walking down the tunnel and you see his name on the board four times.

“I’m just happy that I was able to get the win and be the next Aussie to get the win and especially at home.”

De Minaur’s title win was also the first by any Australian singles player – male or female – in Sydney since Bernard Tomic in 2013.

He again had Hewitt in his box along with the former star’s son Cruz, with the 10-year-old de Minaur’s biggest fan and regular hitting buddy

In competition though, de Minaur is constantly labelled as a young Hewitt himself.

He chases down opponents’ attempted winners with Hewitt’s customary resolve and determination, but also has some power in his punch on returns to seize the ascendancy in rallies.

“I think if you’re being compared to Lleyton, then you’re obviously doing something right,” de Minaur said, with his eyes now firmly on Monday’s opening-round clash with Portugal’s Pedro Sousa in Melbourne.

“Growing up, he’s one of the guys I looked up to and I watched a lot of matches. And to be able to, in a way, to follow his footsteps and win (in Sydney) is definitely special.”